kutzkattherine.the bishopsheir-第20部分

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ink　with　Morgan；　Dhugal　should　have　felt　nothing　further。
But　when　Kelson　at　last　tried　another　tentative　probe；　the　reason　became　abundantly　clear。
〃Shields！〃　he　whispered；　withdrawing　as　quickly　as　he　could　and　thrusting　Dhugal　far　enough　away　to　stare　at　him　in　shock。　〃Mother　of　God；　Dhugal；　where　did　you　get　shields？　Can　you　hear　me；　Dhugal？　You've　got　shields！　Dhugal；　are　you　all　right？〃
Groggily；　Dhugal　uncurled　and　managed　to　sit　up；　holding　his　head　with　one　hand　and　leaning　against　Kelson's　knee　for　support。　Kelson　did　not　press　him　for　further　response；　only　waited　while　Dhugal　got　his　bearings　and　gradually　raised　his　head；　dragging　a　sleeve　across　his　tear…stained　face。　His　gaze　was　still　a　little　glassy　as　he　looked　up　at　the　king；　and　he　seemed　to　be　having　trouble　focusing。
〃Dhugal；　what　happened？〃　Kelson　breathed。
Dhugal　made　a　brave　attempt　at　a　smile。　〃I　was　about　to　ask　you　the　same　question。　God　…　my　head　hurts！〃
〃Somehow　you　managed　to　pick　up　some　of　what　Morgan　was　sending　me；〃　Kelson　whispered。　〃Then　you　slammed　down　shields　on　the　link。　How　did　you　do　that？〃
〃Do　what？〃
〃Shield。　Most　humans　can't。　Everything　was　fine　until　Morgan　told　me　about　the　attack　on　Duncan；　and　the　merasha。〃
〃What's　merasha？'　Dhugal　asked　blankly。
〃Oh；　sweet　Jesu；　of　course　you　don't　know。　It's　a　drug。　I　don't　know　where　it　es　from。　But　it　muddles　Deryni　senses　so　that　we　…　can't　use　our　magic。　I've　never　had　it　used　on　me；　but　Morgan　has　…　and　now　Duncan。　And　I　know　it　was　used　to　make　my　father　vulnerable　to　Charissa's　magic；　so　she　could　kill　him。〃
Dhugal　shivered。　〃It　sounds　terrible。〃
〃So　was　what　happened　when　you　tried　to　back　out　of　the　link！　And　you've　got　shields；　for　God's　sake！　He　doesn't；〃　he　stabbed　one　hand　toward　the　sleeping　Caulay　in　a　gesture　of　frustration；　〃and　you　didn't　seem　to；　either；　until　we　started　getting　that　rebound　from　Duncan。　What　the　devil　happened？　Can　you　remember　anything　at　all？〃
Dhugal　rubbed　at　his　temples　and　winced。　〃I　can't　think　with　you　yelling　at　me。〃
〃I'm　not　yelling　at　you；　I　just　have　to　know　what　happened；〃　Kelson　said；　a　little　less　emphatically。　〃You　scared　the　hell　out　of　me。〃
〃I　scared　the　hell　out　of　me；　too。〃
Cautiously　Dhugal　took　a　deep　breath　and　let　it　out　slowly；　not　looking　at　Kelson　as　he　tried　to　ease　himself　back　to　memory　of　the　pain。
〃It's　still　mostly　a　jumble；〃　Dhugal　finally　went　on　haltingly；　〃but　I　do　remember　that　after　you　stopped　talking；　I　got　sort　of　…　drowsy。〃
〃That　was　my　fault；〃　Kelson　muttered。　〃I　confess　I　did　a　little　more　than　I'd　told　you　I　was　going　to。　But　that　shouldn't　have　made　you　react　the　way　you　did。　What　else　do　you　remember？〃
〃I　…　have　a　vague　impression　of　General　Morgan　laughing。　。。。　Something　about　bishops；　too　…　and　…　and　then　a　terrible　pain　in　my　head。〃
〃That　must　have　been　Duncan　and　the　merasha；〃　Kelson　said；　nodding。　〃Somehow；　you　got　farther　into　the　link　than　I　thought　…　just　enough　to　channel　some　of　the　emotion。　I　wasn't　expecting　shields；　though。　Caulay　doesn't　have　them。〃
〃He　doesn't　have　my　knack　with　animals；　either；〃　Dhugal　countered；　almost　a　little　irritated；　〃and　he　used　to　be　as　good　a　tracker　as　Ciard。〃　He　paused。　〃Maybe　it　does　have　something　to　do　with　the　Second　Sight；　though。　Maybe　…　maybe　shields　go　along　with　that。〃
〃Maybe；〃　Kelson　replied。
But　Dhugal's　ment　about　the　animals　had　struck　a　responsive　chord　in　Kelson；　so　that　the　part　about　the　Second　Sight　barely　even　registered。　He　recalled　his　father　telling　him　how　Morgan　could　charm　deer　to　the　very　gates　of　the　city　if　he　wanted　to；　and　some　passing　mention　he　remembered　of　Morgan's　sister　Bronwyn　being　able　to　call　the　birds　from　the　sky。　If　their　ability　came　of　being　Deryni；　then　what　about　Dhugal？　Dhugal　was　also　good　with　animals　…　and　that　would　certainly　account　for　the　shields。
〃Let's　try　this　again；〃　he　said；　slipping　his　hands　to　either　side　of　Dhugal's　head　before　the　other　could　object。　〃Try　not　to　fight　me。　This　is　the　only　way　we're　going　to　find　out　more　about　what　we're　up　against。〃
But　Dhugal　gasped　and　tried　to　pull　away　at　once　as　Kelson's　first　probe　clashed　against　the　shields　again。
〃God；　what　are　you　doing　to　me？〃
〃I　don't　want　to　hurt　you；〃　Kelson　answered。　〃Try　to　relax。　I'll　ease　up　while　you　do；　but　you've　got　to　help　me。　Don't　fight　me；　dammit！　The　more　you　struggle；　the　more　it's　going　to　hurt！〃
But　the　pain　of　Kelson's　probe　had　already　pushed　Dhugal　beyond　reason　again；　contorting　him　into　a　shuddering　fetal　ball。　Kelson　tried　several　approaches；　but　the　shields　refused　to　budge。　He　could　also　sense　Dhugal's　heartrate　rising　dangerously。　He　would　have　to　stop。
〃I'm　sorry；〃　he　murmured；　as　he　withdrew　altogether。　〃God；　I　wish　I　knew　where　you　got　those　shields！〃
He　doubted　Dhugal　had　heard　him；　but　he　kept　repeating　his　apology　while　he　waited　for　Dhugal　to　e　around；　kneading　the　rigid　shoulders　until　finally　Dhugal　stirred；　uncurling　enough　to　turn　frightened；　pain…dulled　eyes　on　him。
〃I'm　sorry；〃　Kelson　said　again。　〃I　didn't　want　to　hurt　you。　I　really　am　sorry。　Are　you　all　right？〃
Dhugal　nodded　groggily　and　sat　up　with　Kelson's　help；　lifting　a　hand　in　reassurance。
〃It　isn't　your　fault。　It's　mine。　I　did　try　to　do　what　you　asked；　but　it　hurt　so　much　…　〃
〃I　know。〃　Kelson　glanced　away；　reviewing　everything　one　more　time；　then　shook　his　head　and　sighed。
〃Well；　it　isn't　going　to　do　us　any　good　to　just　sit　here　and　make　apologies　to　one　another。　It's　no　one's　fault。　I　certainly　wish　I　didn't　have　to　leave　for　Culdi　tomorrow；　though。〃　He　raised　an　eyebrow　hopefully。　〃I　don't　suppose　you'd　consider　ing　with　me？〃
〃Because　of　…　what　just　happened？〃
Kelson　nodded。
〃I　can't。〃　Dhugal　swallowed　and　turned　half　away；　fiddling　with　a　fold　of　his　kilt。　〃It's　my　father。　Kelson。　You've　seen　how　he　is。　Winter's　just　beginning。　I　couldn't　leave　him　here　alone。〃
〃He　wouldn't　exactly　be　alone；〃　Kelson　ventured。　〃Your　sisters　are　here；　and　he　has　a　whole　clan　family。　Or　is　that　really　the　reason？〃
Dhugal　drew　a　deep　breath　and　let　it　out　slowly；　avoiding　Kelson's　eyes。　〃That's　most　of　it。　If　he　dies　…　no；　make　that　when　he　dies　…　I'm　going　to　be　Chief　of　Clan　MacArdry；　as　well　as　Earl　of　Transha。　I　have　responsibilities　to　my　people。　It　…　makes　things　very　difficult　if　the　new　chief　isn't　around　when　the　old　chief　passes。〃
Chilled；　Kelson　glanced　up　at　the　bed　towering　above　them；　though　he　could　not　see　its　occupant。
〃Caulay's　dying？〃
〃I　doubt　very　seriously　that　he'll　last　out　the　winter；〃　Dhugal　said　quietly。　〃He　looks　strong；　but　his　heart　…　　well；　let's　just　say　that　if　he　were　a　horse；　I　probably　would　have　put　him　down　months　ago。　There's　…　something　wrong　in　his　brain；　too。　He　couldn't　even　talk　for　a　while　after　he　lost　the　use　of　his　legs；　though　that　came　back　after　a　few　months。〃
〃I'm　truly　sorry。〃
〃So　am　I。〃　Dhugal　gave　a　resigned　sigh。　〃Unfortunately；　that　doesn't　change　anything。　I　doubt　even　your　Deryni　healers　could　have　done　much　for　him。　The　least　I　can　do　is　be　here　at　the　end；　if　that's　possible。　Of　course；　if　he　does　last　out　the　winter；　I　have　another　problem。　e　spring；　my　place　is　at　your　side；　leading　the　MacArdry　levies。
〃But　we'll　worry　about　that　then；　if　it　happens；〃　he　concluded　brightly。　〃As　for　the　other；　let's　not　worry　about　that　until　then；　either；　shall　we？〃
With　a　helpless　shrug。　Kelson　rose　and　helped　Dhugal　to　his　feet。
〃If　you　wish。　Much　as　I'd　like　to　have　you　at　court　through　the　winter；　I　certainly　can't　fault　your　reasons　for　staying　here。　I　don't　suppose　there's　any　real　urgency　about　…　what's　just　happened。　Whatever's　going　on　in　your　head　has　probably　been　that　way　for　some　time；　so　I　doubt　much　will　change　by　waiting　until　spring　to　find　out　more。〃
He　and　Dhugal　moved　silently　back　into　the　embrasure　of　the　window　seat；　where　Kelson　pushed　one　of　the　moveable　lights　farther　open　and　looked　out　to　sea；　inhaling　deeply　of　the　salt　air　as　Dhugal　stood　beside　him。
〃Strategically；　nothing　much　is　going　to　happen　until　spring　either；〃　the　king　continued；　after　a　few　seconds。　〃Look　out　there。　The　storms　are　already　brewing。　In　another　month；　the　rains　will　more　than　double　the　travel　time　in　this　part　of　the　kingdom；　in　two；　the　snows　will　have　doubled　it　again。　Even　your　cousin　Ithel；　as　much　as　he　may　want　my　throne；　can't　move　any　kind　of　effective　army　under　those　conditions。　No；　we　have　the　winter　to　decide　how　to　handle　this。　There　may　be　some　minor　local　disturbances；　but　no　serious　threat　for　at　least　five　months。〃
Grim…lipped；　Dhugal　glanced　back　into　the　room；　at　the　great　bed　wrapped　in　shadows　and　the　man　snoring　noisily　beneath　the　sleeping　furs。
〃When　there　is　a　threat；　I　shall　be　there；　my　brother；〃　he　said　softly。　And　he　held　up　his　right　hand　with　the　faint　scar　etched　across　the　palm。
The　gesture　moved　Kelson　more　than　almost　anything　else　which　had　happened　that　night　…　and　there　had　been　many　moving　moments。　Wistfully　he　raised　his　own　right　hand　and　matched　the　faint　scar　across　his　own　palm　to　the　one　on　DhugaTs。　The　memory　of　the　making　of　those　scars　came　flooding　back　all　in　an　instant；　as　if　the　two　of　them　stood　once　more　by　the　sacred　well；　high　on　a　wind…scoured　hilltop　at　the　edge　o